Shaun Shaffer

So, I'm going to Iceland in January, and learning Icelandic. Not sure if I will get too heavy into it, it's got a lot of tense on nouns and adjectives. I really don't want to learn 4 ways to say the word "one" depending on if it is nomnitive, dative.......etc

On a nice fun note though, going through the flash cards in "At the restaurant" the first food item: hrutspungarnir. Ram Testicles, kept in sour milk. WEEEEEEE

On a work note, I hate developing. I've decided. I cannot wait till I go full time training.

So I grab random book to read this morning because I couldn't find the one I wanted originally. Watership Down. Love this story. But it was really a random grab. Open it up to read during my break and...WOW! Pictures of me from 1996! Look and be amazed.












Amazing. Did I really look like that? Were those jeans really that color??? Hmmm. Can't be a lie! Wow.

Last night we went to a Hillary Clinton results party. Was rather fun being surrounded by like minded individuals. I am a State caucus alternate delegate...wasn't very good at giving a 1 minute impromptu speech, haha. Dustin is a delegate, hoping to move on to nationals and take a trip to Denver. We may end up going out there regardless.

It has been rather nice having this caucus thing to do as it is something we can share. We have a few interests in common, but it's always nice to have something else to add to it. And we are both very committed to doing what we can to get Hillary in office. I'm pretty certain that if Obama is nominated, he will have no hope against McCain. McCain will come out with gloves off, he'll throw a punch and Obama will say "Can't we just focus on the real issues? Hope? Change?". I find the guy a great speaker, but I just find no substance behind the pretty speeches.

Anyway. We are going bowling with a bunch of Hillary supporters on Friday. We'll try to bowl a 37...not sure if that's possible :P

Gonna make some plans to get support rallied up in Oregon before they get to voting.

On a different topic: after you give your two weeks notice for a job, it really feels strange. I 50% regret giving notice here and 50% am looking forward to the new job. I have been here almost 4 years...these people are like my family. I guess the good news is that I will only be about 10 minutes away by foot, so we can all still have lunch together. ^^

Why is it that whenever I post in my LJ about something good happening...something bad happens to counter it?

Dustin and I are suddenly not getting along at all.

He thinks I play too much WoW. I play WoW because we haven't been getting along, so have been trying to avoid too much contact. Plus, my best friend Thio started playing and this is the most I have gotten to "see" him in a long time.

I really wish he would tell me what upsets him, before it's too late and he is already pissed.

I had a huge fight with my boss. One in a line of many. And I decided to put in my two week notice then and there. I already have another job. I'll make $13k more than before, paid parking, paid gym membership, start accruing my vacation (15 days/year) from day one, full insurance from day one...401k coming soon they say, just finishin up the docs. I'm very excited!!!

The best part: I will be traveling around all over the country to train people how to use our software. I freaking love travel. And I get to use the teaching that I originally trained for.

I know I haven't posted in...well, forever. I haven't felt really positive about anything for a long time. Now I do, so I should be posting more often now!!!

Haven't updated in forever. This isn't really an update, but a rant. Having so much trouble finding someone fit for the job I'm hiring for. If you were trying to get a job, don't you think you'd include your current phone number on your resume? Or how about someone saying that they currently answer 450 calls a day, while also saying that they believe that the customer just wants to be listened to... There are only 480 minutes in a work day, not counting out breaks. That's just barely over a minute per call...how much can you be listening to them? Anyway, if you are in the Seattle area and looking for a fun job, let me know. It only pays $13 per hour to start, but it gets better as it goes along.

I'll force myself to do a real update sometime soon. I swear. Really.

So go to google and type in "YOUR NAME was arrested for" and search. Make sure to include the quotes. Here's what I got:
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At the age of ten, Shaun was arrested for shoplifting. After subsequent counseling, he was. diagnosed with mild depression and poor peer relations.
-I swear I didn't mean to steal that Preperation H, I was just putting it in there because my hands were full...
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Shaun was arrested for sitting on a street sweeper . He was on his way back to the hotel when it happened . It was all just a bit of a lark.
-The street sweeper just vibrated a lot, I couldn't resist.
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Yeah, but Shaun was arrested for trying to find him and it turns out he saves him. Plus we still don’t know who he is.
-I was Not stalking him...we just happened to be in the same place at the same time. Twenty times a week.
---

Why do I have to come back to work after vacation to such problems.

So here's what I'm experiencing:

They want money from collections, when the money doesn't come in, they get upset. Then, when we do collect, we have to be firm on some decisions, sometimes those people complain. Then we get threats to be written up for not giving good "customer service". It really annoys me that I can deal with thousands of customers and if two of them complain about me, I'm in trouble. I really don't need this stress in my life right now. I am seriously thinking of changing jobs at this point. The work I do with coding at this company is work at least $25/hour, some if it should be paid at more near $50...I've stayed because of the atmosphere, but now...it's getting just too stressful.

Evaluation time.

about to hop on a taxi...leaving Thailand. It's impossible to express how much fun I've had. While there are things that I could definitely do without in this country, there are a lot of things that I will miss. It didn't seem like it was going quickly until now, and it seems to have all rushed by. I have made friends from a number of different countries, so my next adventure is already pending. I cannot wait. I will arrive home at 6 on Sunday. Hoping someone is reading this so he can come pick Us up (and drop Thio off at the bus station, please?) :)

and the world is an oyster that makes your stomache upset.

I think the jetlag finally overcame me. Yesterday we spend the day on a trek. We first went to the Bridge over the River Kwai. It was quite interesting and...morbid. We then took a train through some mountain territory, seeing the only Buddist temple for women Only. The women go there to escape their abusive husbands or whathaveyou. It is at the top of a mountain, men are not allowed in...but according to our male tour guide, Thio and I can go in..."Lady Boys, OK!"

Our other tour guide was the cutest lesbian ever! I <3 her.

After the train we went to have lunch at a floating river "motel" in the middle of nowhere. They said that lunch was "chicken" but there was a turtle shell, freshly cleaned, near the entrance...

We took a powerboat up the river to a place where we rode elephants driven by a thirteen year old boy named Thom. He spoke better English than most of the people that work in our hotel. He said he learned it all from Tourists.

The people that we were on the trek with were quite fun. Most of the foreigners we encounter are either from the UK or from Australia. Though there are many asian tourists as well, and a few Spaniards.

I fed the elephants by hand with a whole bunch of bananas (purchased for 20 baht, 37 baht/1 american dollar). The elephant took my whole hand into his gaping maw and licked it...it was disgusting. His name was lucky...

After the elephants we went to a waterfall and I took a swim. While overloaded with tourists it was quite pristine and beautiful.

The trip back was rather...bumpy. Our original mini-bus broke down, so we had to ride in the back of a truck. Quite common here. These people don't believe in seatbelts...

It took forever to get back to the hotel. When we got back I took a short nap and we went to eat. I found my meal unpleasant as I was already feeling quite bad. I fear that the jetlag took me over, along with getting very little sleep each night and swimming and sauna and treking...I broke down and passed out only halfway in bed. Thio had to go out for nightlife alone again. This time he was back at 6am. Good job Thio!

Today we are going for traditional Thai massage and a spa treatment. Maybe some shopping and then some nightlife. The nightlife does not calm down during the week here.

The most odd thing is...I was cleaning out my camera's memory card and I saw a picture I had taken of my coworkers at an event. I missed them a great deal when I saw the photo. How odd. I really enjoy them.

6 more nights in Bangkok. The world will be my safe, clean, hotel food I think.

Ass up, face down, at the edge of the pool. Passed out after drinking too much. *sigh* Good thing they let us change the tour to tomorrow without paying extra. Oh well, I guess it's what I deserve after making him fly here alone when I missed the first flight.

Day 2 in Thailand will be spent rather liesurely...go see the snake farm and lounge by the pool and drink mango mimosas...

I am in Bangkok...

I was here with Thio...

Thio went out last night to the bars, I wasn't feeling well...he decided to go alone. That was 12 hours ago. 3 hours ago, we had a scheduled tour that was prepayed...Thio hasn't shown yet. No calls, no messages. I am very fearful. They say that sometimes people will drug you and rob you. They may even do worse. I don't know what to do. The police of course won't get involved until it has been 24 hours. I guess I'll just wait in the hotel until he returns...or until 8pm tonight when it has been 24 hours...

I hope that he just got very drunk and crashed with someone he met...perhaps he just hasn't woken up yet...

Don't you hate when you think you have something happening in your life that is private, between you and another person...then everyone else starts messaging you about it? How do they all find out? Why is it their business? You know you didn't tell them about it...so it can only be the other person that is telling them. And they actually heard about it from someone else that heard about it...and so on. And then people try to take advantage of whatever is happening to you? Well fuck that. I'm just gonna move on.

On a different note, I didn't post about my weekend in PDX and on ST Helens...but I twisted my ankle down there. It has kept me from running for the last two weeks. I think I'll have to switch to the Arizona Marathon to get the extra month of training, and the lower cost of going...the donations aren't going quite as I'd hoped... I've gotta find some more ways to fundraise.

So, in case I haven't said so: I got promoted to IT guy at work. I am kinda making it up as I go, no formal training (if any of you know networking well, I'm looking for a tutor). It's been a real challenge, but some fun times.

So, on to horror story number 1.

Whenever (before I was an IT guy) I would have to talk to an IT guy, I always used to get mad when they would ask me dumb questions like "Did you reboot your computer?". I'm like "Duh! Of course I did!". Did they think I'm an idiot?

So we have these hand held computers that our employees use to write tickets to wrongly parked vehicles (for non-payment, etc). I was reviewing my notice department kids and what they were up to, and I noticed that there were a ton of hand written tickets. So I ask "why are there so many handwritten tickets? Why aren't they being done with the handhelds?" "Oh, So-and-so manager (to remain nameless), says that they have been down for the last two weeks...."

So, all these things are supposed to go through me so I can get them fixed. I knew nothing about this. The data entry for all those handwritten tickets cost my department a couple thousand dollars. I'm pissed! So I go and grab control of the situation, making an appointment with the company to try to get the issues that are described to me fixed.

Today I call them for my appointment, and they run me through dozens of attempts to fix them. Finally I say, "Wait a second, let me try to reboot these first..." TADA! Fixed. *grumbles* Two weeks of wasted labor, all because they needed a reboot! I shall one day go crazy and fit that manager into a cd-r drive! Muahahahahahahahahahahaha!


More stories of horror to come!

*earlier*...Ugh. So I just thought about what I committed to. By signing up for this marathon I've totally ruined numerous plans that I had. I can't go to harrison st fair. I can't go to Bear Boot Camp. Other plans for hikes and hang outs had to be either canceled or reorganized... On top of it, if I don't make my $4,500 goal, I gotta pitch in the money myself. So no real spending until I'm sure I can fundraise enough money.


Then I went to a meeting today, to meet the team I will be running with.
And they introduced us to our "honored team members". People who have survived Leukemia and will be running a ways with us to support us on almost every practice. I thought that was so compelling.

Then they introduced us to the honored team member that won't be able to run with us. And I cried and felt selfish. Goodbye social life, hello dedication to this cause.

I'm sure there will be plenty of events to attend after December!

At Least Two Shot At Jewish Center In Seattle

July 28, 2006

By KOMO Staff




SEATTLE - At least two people were wounded by gunshots Friday afternoon at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle and one person was arrested, police said.

A SWAT team was searching the building, looking for any other victims, anyone hiding or any other possible shooters, police spokesman Rich Pruitt said.

The extent of the victims' injuries was not immediately known, but reportedly at least two were shot in the stomach, and they were being taken to Harborview Medical Center. A witness told KOMO 4 News that she heard at least four gunshots and saw at least four victims.

Police blocked off several city blocks to investigate.

Patti Simon was at work at the federation's newspaper on the first floor when she heard screaming, shots and what sounded like furniture crashing on the floor above.

"We heard this horrible screaming on the floor above us and shots," said Simon, 52, who sells advertising at the paper. "We didn't know what was happening."

Simon called up to her co-workers on the second floor, but got no answer, so she called the police and fled the building.

"People got shot, some of our co-workers," Simon said, her voice shaking. "I just got back from Israel and made it out of there a half hour before the rockets started."

Simon said the federation has security in the building.

"Somebody must have lied there way in," Simon said.

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WWIII?!?

I'm going to log all the responses I get in email for this marathon to memorialize them.

Also, did I mention that I can accept donations via check or money order too? Ask me for the address to send them to. All donations are tax deductible.

Also, also. I'm going to be having a car wash fundraising event soon, I'll let you know the date. My friend from a UW sorority will be getting a bunch of her girlfriends to volunteer. Should be loads of fun. And I'm going to have a yardsale event as well. If you can't afford to donate monitarily, you could donate your used stuff that you don't want anymore and I will inventory it and sell it for you. Anything that is sold will be counted as your cash donation and I will give you a receipt for it so you can count it off your taxes. So if you have used stuff to sell, bring it on up. I should be having the yardsale in about 3 weeks, so plenty of time to gather the stuff together!

If anyone has any other ideas for fundraising, let me know. I still have about $3,900 to go.

Shaun

As many of you know I have been planning to run a marathon in December. Well, I finally got all signed up and I start my "official" training for the marathon on Saturday. The marathon will be in Honolulu and will be a full 26.2 mile run. It's going to be so much fun!

The reason I'm writing this is because, well, I'm not just running for the fun. I'm running to help find a cure for cancer, specifically Leukemia. Many of us have been touched by cancer in one form or another, and if not directly, we know people who have. That's why I decided to run this marathon and do my part to help out. The link below is to my donation page for the marathon. My fund raising goal is $4,500. While I know we all have a lot going on, each person doesn't have to donate a lot. If you can't donate yourself (or even if you can), please send the link on to people that you know would be interested. Together I know we can accomplish the goal of eliminating cancer completely!

Please let me know if you have any questions about this. Also words of encouragement are always welcome.

http://www.active.com/donate/tntwaak/tntwaakSShaffe

Thanks Everyone!

Having an impromptu get together at Broadway Grill on Saturday starting at >>>6<<<. We will travel from there to exotic locations to become sick with alcohol and perform acts of debauchery...or so the story goes. All are welcome.

Note that it was edited to be at 6!!!

I'm just having a bad day and wanted to share it. Today's theme: flakes.

If you say you are going to do something, DO IT. Otherwise don't waste my time.

I don't appreciate people who say they will do something and don't, people who don't call to cancel or reschedule, people who say they'll be there in an hour and show up in 3...

I'm done ranting now. I feel much better.